Correspondence With the King
by Supreme Distraction
Summary: "You're insatiable," Aurora breathed, parting her thighs eagerly. They both were. A collection of drabbles. (3/3)
1. Letter One

Ohai dere owo Here's the third and final instillation in my _From the Shadows _trilogy: a collection of sexy and cute little drabbles. Enjoy!

**Disclaimer: **All hail Disney. Thank them for this wonderful movie.

**-Letter One-**

_My Queen,_

_Duke Ellington came to call upon you yesterday, likely with the hopes of earning your favor. When I told him where you had gone to, he seemed shocked—with good reason. Please take care of yourself. The kingdom is flourishing, though we all eagerly await your return. The Summerlands have opened up trade channels with the Winterlands, which has brought wealth to your kingdom. We intend to throw the winter ball within a month and it would greatly please the people if you were to attend. I know you are busy, but please consider it._

_How does life on the moor suit you? I will not question your decision to work on Faerie-human relations, but I do worry about you._

_We pray for your safety and I hope to hear from you soon._

_Your humble servant,_

_Edward_

"Edward says all is going well."

"Mm…"

"What are you thinking about?"

Silky feathers brushed against her arms as the exquisite woman reclining on a bed covered in cloud-soft sheets woven by earth sprites rolled onto her side, propping her head up with her arm. "Come back to bed."

Cerulean orbs swept from long chocolate-toned tresses from which two pointed horns emerged down a voluptuous, hourglass-shaped body clad in a sheer dark blue gown, and along long, slender legs.

"In a moment."

The Faerie sat up, knocking the paper from the desk's surface with one powerful flap of her wings, and her companion pouted. "Honestly, Maleficent, behave yourself."

"But you like it when I'm naughty." Her accent made the playful statement all the more sensual and Aurora bit her lip, rising from her seat and stooping down to retrieve the letter.

"Patience is a virtue."

She retrieved a quill from the top drawer and dipped it in a vial of ink, quickly scrawling her response and crossing the cool wood floor to the rounded gap surrounded by curtains of vines that served as the entrance to their cozy little home at the heart of the gargantuan tree that had once served as the sorceress's throne. The jewel lake glittered below, reflecting the light of the stars and the water nymphs that danced over its surface.

"Pan!"

Maleficent shook her head as a brightly glowing nature spirit with a round, furry body and large eyes shot up from below, smashing into the blonde and chirruping happily as the young woman laughed and cradled it in her palm. "You can't go around giving names to the Faerie-folk."

"I don't think she minds." To the Brownie, she whispered, "Take this to the castle. Find Edward."

As the creature darted away, holding the document in its little paws, the former queen turned her attention to her partner, smiling when the older woman lifted the corner of the sheets, and patted the surface of the bed. "Come."

"I think I've _come _enough already." To the point of soreness, actually.

Brilliant gold eyes rimmed in a lovely shade of amber raked over her form, the heat in them like a physical touch, and the blonde shivered, her mind returning to the night before.

_/ Clawed fingertip raked along her spine, the resulting sting of pain pleasure making the woman arch and moan. Her hips pumped frantically, desperately attempting to prolong the friction that was slowly reducing her bones to molten mush and her brain to a mass of electrical pleasure impulses._

_She was close. So close._

_Lips brushed against the shell of her ear and she shivered as the sorceress purred— /_

"Come."

This time, it was a command, not a request, and the young woman obediently crossed the room and climbed into the bed, snuggling into the Faerie's larger frame and shivering again when a cool hand slid down her front, liquid heat pooling at the junction of her thighs

"You're insatiable," she breathed, parting her thighs eagerly.

"As are you."

And then there were no more words, only soft sounds of pleasure.


	2. Letter Two

**-Letter Two-**

_Highness,_

_Are you lonely? It must be difficult living amongst all of those wild, dumb beasts. If you ever need someone to speak with, I'm here in the castle. I admire you, by the way. The castle is so vast and empty… It gets lonely. There are so many rooms that one could go an entire day without seeing any members of the staff. _

_Still, I'll do my best to rule just as you have._

—_Edward_

Diaval meowed his displeasure, licking a dainty little paw and scrubbing it over his face before stopping mid-action—as though realizing what he was doing. If it was possible for a cat to glare, he was doing so now and Maleficent rolled her eyes, restoring him to his human form with a wave of her hand.

"_Thank you_," he sputtered, standing up and brushing off the tattered black clothing he always wore. "Why do you insist on putting me in these wretched forms?"

"Aurora happens to find you adorable."

He should have known. The immortal was willing to do anything to make her human companion happy. Anything.

"You've really fallen head over heels for her."

And how could she have not? Curse or no, Aurora was still the most charming, selfless, likeable person Maleficent had ever met… Not that she ever went out of her way to interact with humans. There was just something about the blonde that worked its way under your skin and into your heart, settling there with its warm weight—a constant reminder that she was there.

The sorceress had never felt this way before. Not when the liar Stephan had courted her all those years ago nor any time after.

"Mm…"

Diaval leaned against the trunk of the tree that was currently shading his mistress, joining her in watching as—speak of the Devil—Aurora leaped neatly down from the knothole leading into their home, dusting off the hem of her skirt and stretching her arms over her head. For a moment she just stood there, her face to the sun, and Maleficent shifted, the muscles in her legs aching to bring her to the young woman's side.

"You know…" her familiar began, watching as the blonde strode purposefully down the slope, the friendlier Faerie- folk joining her—some by air and some by land—and chatting amicably with the moor's sole human resident. She loved all of the fantastic creatures that inhabited the wilds and they loved her. "She's been here for almost a season now."

"And?"

"Human's don't take to the cold quite as well as you do, mistress."

He had a point. Maleficent frowned slightly, concern in the furrow of her brow, and she stood closing her eyes and casting her senses outwards. She could feel the shifting of the magical energies that flowed between all things Faerie like the glistening strands of a spider's web and also the nature magic in the wind and the waters and the land itself: the howling gales were stirring high atop the mountains, holding within their blustery grip cold heaps of snow.

The seasons were changing and winter was coming with a vengeance. She supposed she had missed the signs because the cold didn't trouble her in the least.

"What are you doing?"

"Silence." She waved her hand again and the man fell to his knees, arching his back as fur sprouted all over his body. A long tail shot from the base of his spine as his nose elongated, broadening into a snout, and he whined pitiably, now in the form of a dog. "There. That's better."

"Woof!"

"Go keep Aurora company," the sorceress commanded. "I'll return shortly."

She unfurled broad, chocolate-coloured wings and, with a powerful gust of wind, she was off in the direction of the castle.


	3. Letter Three

**-Letter Three-**

_My lady,_

_The season grows cooler… I hope you're dressed for the weather. I fear that the new renovations will not be completed before the snowstorm that darkens the horizon arrives, but we can only work our hardest. The people tell me it's unbefitting of a king to engage in physical labor, but I find it to be almost therapeutic. _

_Be safe,_

_Edward_

Despite the flurries of snow building up on the branches of the tree the lovers called home and in pristine white piles on the ground below, it was incredibly hot at this very moment—so much so that the residents were drenched in a thin sheen of sweat.

Aurora whimpered as Maleficent's talented tongue lapped along the length of her sex, sampling the sweetness that glistened there. She tried her best to match the sorceress's speed, her own tongue flicking over the nub at the top of delicate pink lips that hung tantalizingly above her face, her chin sticky with the Faerie's arousal as she added her fingers to the mix, plumbing silken depths and earning a series of low, encouraging moans.

She squealed as the throbbing bundle of nerves at the top of her slit became the target of the sorceress's oral assault, her eyes rolling back in her head as she bucked, digging her finger nails into pale flesh and leaving thin little crescent-shaped marks.

It was truly the best way to stay warm.

…

Aurora sighed blissfully, her muscles aching deliciously as she stretched, the howling gale scarcely bothering her in the warm little cocoon her lover had created. Gold-green energy shimmered around the perimeter of the room, keeping out the elements, and sorceress herself had disappeared while she had been in a post-coital daze.

She had been doing that a lot recently.

"Maleficent?"

The response came from the direction of the kitchen, a rather new addition to the tree's innards, and the blonde swung her feet over the edge of the bed, clutching the sheet to her body to hide her nakedness and following the husky voice. Maleficent was standing with her back to the door, the muscles in her bare shoulder flexing as she mixed something and the younger woman bit her lip, her gaze following along her spine to the delightful curve of her bottom.

The sorceress was so unbelievably flawless that she had to pinch herself to make sure that this wasn't another dream.

Another pinch seemed necessary when the brunette turned and handed her a mug made from one of the bell-shaped flowers that grew in abundance around the moor; steam rose from it, introducing the rich smell of chocolate to the air, and she blinked.

Hot… Cocoa?

"I went into the human city to procure some," she explained at the young woman's curious look. The immortal went to the other side of the kitchen where the ceiling was slightly higher, leaning back against the wooden counter and spreading her wings slightly. She didn't like when they were cramped for too long. "I was told that it is a popular concoction in the winter."

As Aurora sipped her drink, sighing blissfully, her lover watched closely, adoration burning in brilliant orbs. "Do you like it?"

"I love it. Thank you."

She nodded then, dropped her gaze, the entire glorious length of her nude form bared for aquamarine orbs to devour. "You managed to break the skin." Amusement coloured that rich, cultured accent.

Aurora carefully placed the mug down, putting a bit more sway than was necessary into her hips as she approached her lover, relishing the way the Faerie's nostrils flared.

"I'll kiss it better."

She kneeled, purposefully placing her hands on wide hips as she leaned in and kissed the insides of Maleficent's thighs, parting her lips to add the soothing swirl of her tongue. When fingers entwined in her hair, she looked up: golden orbs had gone a hungry amber shade.

"Bed." It was said in nearly a growl.

The blonde laughed airily as she was lifted. "Anything you say, my love."


	4. Letter Four

**-Letter Four-**

"_Dearest Aurora_—"

"I don't like how familiar this man is with you."

Aurora started and would have slipped from her perch had strong, pale hands not reached up to steady her. How had Maleficent managed to sneak up on her?

"You aren't jealous, are you?"

The stunning sorceress harrumphed, turning away from her partner and leaning against the twisted tree trunk of the ancient tree upon the hill overlooking the jewel lake, her arms crossed over her chest.

'_So cute.'_

She turned her attention back to the letter and continued reading, silently this time.

_I don't think I'll ever be comfortable with calling you that, though it's by your insistence. The kingdom is currently working to throw the annual Mid-Winter Ball and it would please them greatly if you were to attend. I sincerely hope that you will at least consider the invitation._

_Yours, _

_Edward_

The blonde must have gasped because Maleficent was looking at her, concern in brilliant orbs. "What is it?"

"My—_The_ kingdom is hosting a ball."

She frowned quizzically. "And?"

"We should go, Maleficent. Please?"

The sorceress shook her head. "Humans do not like Faerie-folk, Beastie. It would not be wise." When Aurora slumped disappointedly, she reached out and patted the younger woman's thigh. "Go. Don't let me spoil your fun."

* * *

"The queen has returned to us!"

"It's the queen!"

"Blessed gods, the queen is well!"

Dressed in a long, dark purple gown with a sweeping hem, half-sleeves, and a sweeping neckline, the former queen looked magnificent. She smiled at her well-wishers, politely greeting faces both familiar and unfamiliar until, finally, she stood before the king.

Immediately there was a hush, for the man rose from his throne and lowered himself reverently onto one knee. "Welcome, my queen."

"It's just Aurora now, Your Highness," she corrected gently, sweeping into a curtsy. "I'm glad to see that you are well."

The man straightened, catching her completely off guard by crushing her into a hug. "It's good to see you."

She flushed, uncertain of how to detangle herself from the male's strong arms, but Edward released her, taking her by the hand and grinning as he twirled her like a ballerina across the polished floor.

"May I have this dance?"

There were murmurs from the blue bloods as the pair waltzed together, the king smiling and his guest trying her best to match the expression, though it lacked the enthusiasm.

Something was missing from this moment and it made her heart ache terribly.

As she was dipped backwards and her view of the world flipped upside down, it occurred to Aurora that the crowd—so many people in an enclosed space—made her feel anxious. What was she doing here? She didn't belong here, she belonged—

"Would you mind if I stepped in?"

That voice…

The blonde whirled, the audience all abuzz, to see Maleficent standing a small distance away, her voluptuous form clad in a long black evening gown that clung to her like a second skin. She had one clawed hand held towards the woman and, though that enigmatic little smile still curved red-painted lips, brilliant ochre eyes wandered warily.

All eyes were on the horns curving so elegantly from the crown of the tall woman's head, poking from ringlets of chocolate brown, and the silky wings that had been tucked against her spine in such a way that masked their vast span.

"N-no, of course not." Edward bowed, his gaze flicking to the guards stationed at either of the entrances. "Aurora?"

"I would love to dance with you." Her heart in her throat, Aurora accepted the proffered hand and they swept across the dance floor well into the night.

...

"What changed your mind?"

The duo stood on the balcony overlooking the courtyard, leaning against the stone railing and staring out into the night. It had begun to snow again and Aurora smiled affectionately when the Faerie draped a cloak around her shoulders.

"I want you to be happy." There was something sad about her tone—something she wasn't saying—and the blonde frowned slightly.

"Why wouldn't I be?"

Maleficent cleared her throat. "You wished to be others of your kind."

She didn't think that Aurora preferred their company—All at once, a laugh bubbled out of her throat and she clutched her sides.

How could someone so utterly perfect be so utterly insecure?

"Maleficent…" she began, once her mirth had died down enough to allow her to speak. "I'm happy _with you_. It doesn't matter where I am or what I'm doing." She cuddled against the taller woman's side. "I just thought the ball would be a nice change of pace."

For a moment, the Faerie didn't say anything. Then, she reached out and crushed Aurora into a hug, burying her face in flaxen locks and taking a deep, steadying breath.

She was trembling.

The former queen wrapped her arms around the brunette's waist, her heart beat accelerating to match the pace of the muscle that pounded against the other woman's ribcage.

"Thank you, Beastie."


	5. Letter Five

I made this chapter a wee bit longer. Let's see how it goes.

**-Letter Five-**

_Dear Aurora,_

_I know it's none of my concern, but… Who was that woman at the ball? She clearly wasn't human and the way you looked at her…_

_It may have been my imagination, but she must mean a lot to you. Is she the real reason you wander the moor?_

—_Edward_

The wind howled as Maleficent flapped powerfully, her arms around Aurora as they climbed higher. She felt her passenger tense and she slowed, hovering for a moment in the infinite blue of the morning sky and giving the young woman a reassuring smile.

"It's a beautiful day."

The blonde nodded slowly, daring to open her eyes and peer about. This was not her first flight, but the initial takeoff always managed to rattle her.

"It's wonderful."

Nodding her agreement, the Faerie angled her wings, gliding towards the ground at a speed that made tears bead up at the corner of cerulean orbs. She wheeled gracefully, clutching her partner tighter, and shot upwards without warning, laughing musically when the woman yelped.

"That wasn't funny!" Aurora huffed, still trembling.

"I apologize, my love." She pressed a kiss to a pale cheek, a contented purr bubbling in her chest.

…

They landed in a field of flowers, the sorceress's flapping sending a cloud of flower maidens twirling into the air, their heads in full bloom. The other creatures inhabiting it chattered and Maleficent shook her head, murmuring an apology and folding her wings tightly against her back.

Aurora chuckled at the sight, slipping her hand into her partner's and tugging gently. "Hold me."

"Your wish is my command." Strong arms enveloped her in a cocoon of warm affection and the former queen sighed happily, relaxing into the Faerie's larger form. "What's on your mind, Beastie?"

"You." She reached up, cupping the brunette's cheek and kissing her sweetly. "You're perfect."

Golden orbs narrowed slightly. "If something is troubling you, Aurora— _Mmph_."

When at last the young woman pulled away, bringing an end to their sensual oral waltz, the sorceress's pale cheeks were a fetching shade of pink.

"Don't worry," Aurora said quietly, resting her forehead against her lover's.

"Very well," Maleficent acquiesced at last, placing her trust in her partner over the niggling feeling that something was amiss.

* * *

Days passed and Maleficent noticed that the former queen hadn't sent her brownie or Diaval to the kingdom to retrieve a letter from the king as she normally did. In fact, she hadn't even written a reply to the last letter he had sent—the rolled up parchment remained tucked away, out of sight and out of mind.

Upon bringing up the sudden change in the blonde's routine, Aurora had gone quiet and, though she smiled reassuringly at her lover, the expression didn't quite reach clear blue eyes.

Had she done something to upset the young woman?

"Don't be silly."

Was something the matter?

"No. Everything is perfect."

Then why did she seem so far away?

"…"

Finally, the Faerie grew weary of this pointless line of questioning and cornered her housemate, pinning Aurora with both her arms on either side of that pretty face and the intensity of honey-gold orbs.

"Tell me the truth."

Pale pink lips parted and she licked them, her throat constricting as she swallowed—the actions of one wracked with anxiety. Did-did Aurora _fear _her?

"Please, Beastie," she beseeched, gentling her tone. "If there is something I can do to make you happy—"

Soft lips met hers, effectively cutting off the rest of her speech and she allowed Aurora to wipe the worry from the forefront of her mind with swirling tongue and nipping teeth. When she felt cool hands slide along her spine to knead the rounded curve of her bottom, the sorceress shivered, concern melting entirely as arousal washed over her in a wave of wet heat.

Moments later found the two crashing into walls and wooden furniture, caught in a whirlwind of incredible passion that swept through her tall, curvaceous form like a typhoon. All rational thought had fled, leaving only two naked, entwined forms and the pleasure shared between them. The sting of teeth along the pale curve of the brunette's neck made her hiss, baring it in an uncharacteristically submissive request for more of the delightful sting and, soon, the previously unblemished stretch of skin was marred with red, angry rings, the air punctuated by the sharp, loud moans that greeted each bite.

Heat stirred in her loins as the sorceress bucked, raking her claws along the blonde's spine, and silken flesh slid against silken flesh, their bodies fitting together like pieces of a puzzle as one attempted to gain dominance over the other.

In the end it was Aurora who won, her skin flushed pink and as she loomed over the older woman, her hands leaving trails of heat in their wake as they roamed possessively over the exquisite form that writhed before her. She and leaned in, brushing her lips against the sensitive curve of the immortal's ear as she murmured, "I made a decision."

"And… _Mm… _What would that _*gasp*_ be?"

Her hips bucked as slender fingers traced along the blushing lips of her sex and slid in up to the second knuckle, their entrance made easy by the excitement that pooled between sleekly muscled thighs.

"I've decided I won't be communicating with the kingdom anymore." Maleficent could just barely make out the words over her own throaty moans and the slick, depraved sound of slender fingers thrusting into her depths again and again. "I don't belong there."

And again—harder. The sorceress arched her back, claws ripping the starch white sheets to ribbons.

"The moor is my home now."

And again—deeper. Her vision dimmed at the edges as pleasure razed her senses, making it impossible to do anything but respond to the agonizing ecstasy that Aurora provided.

"I love you."

This had actually been the first time either of them had ever voiced the unfathomable adoration that was shared between two hearts that beat solely for one another because, quite frankly, doing so had been unnecessary. Their love—_true_ love—was apparent in every glance, no matter how brief; every touch, no matter how gentle; every kiss, no matter how hungry; every moment spent together or apart. There was no need to say what was already known. Hearing it now, however… Maleficent's core quivered excitedly, her inner muscles clenching mightily even as her heart fluttered contentedly.

A final thrust combined with those husked words sent her over the edge, brilliant golden eyes rolling back in her head as she roared her ecstasy for all of the moor to hear.

* * *

A blonde pixie dressed all in lilacs zipped across the sweet-smelling meadow, her fists clenched tightly as she flapped with all her might. She needed to see the sorceress about the frightening sounds she had heard the night before. The Faerie would—

There she was!

She banked to the right, nearly crashing into the chocolate-coloured wings folded neatly against the elegant woman's back as she came skidding to a halt.

"Good morning, Lady Maleficent. I wanted to—"

As the dark-haired sorceress turned around, an eyebrow raised questioningly, the pixie's eyes went directly to the tall woman's throat, which was presented for all to see by the sweeping neckline of the long, dark green dress she wore, and her mouth snapped shut. Porcelain perfection was marred by circular red marks, each varying in their depth and shade. Some had even begun to bruise—a painful-looking purple that spoke volumes of the force behind the assault.

"Lady Maleficent, what happened!? Are you hurt?!"

Blink. "What—?" Realization flashed across her face and full lips quirked at the corners as she reached up, gently touching clawed fingertips to bruised flesh. Her expression became wistful. "It's nothing."

It certainly didn't look like 'nothing,' but why would the leader of the Faerie folk have reason to allow someone to harm her and get away with it? Also, who would want to bring her harm in the first place?

"Are you sure?" the pixie asked cautiously, already having forgotten the reason she had sought the brunette out in the first place.

"Of course." She smiled beatifically, golden orbs practically glowing. "It's a lovely morning."

"Y-yes…"

A voice called the sorceress's name in the distance and Maleficent bit her lip, a shudder fluffing her feathers, making her wingspan seem vaster still. "I should be off."

The pixie held on tight to her flower hat as the powerful gust following the Faerie's takeoff sent her tumbling head over heels through the air.


	6. Letter Six

**-Letter Six-**

_Fortunately, we didn't suffer much damage from the snowstorm that passed through. Hopefully the weather will settle down now and we will have clear skies. Spring will be here before we know it._

It was indeed getting warmer. The snow was melting away to allow precious life to resume its struggle for survival.

_The renovations have finally been completed with the combined efforts of the villagers. You'd be proud of them. After all, you're the one who taught them_

Her chest ached and she sighed.

How had it been so—dare she say—_easy_, to abandon all that she had ever known in order to live an entirely different life with an entirely different set of people and places?

The reason behind that smooth transition walked into her line of sight and she smiled affectionately, aquamarine orbs straying from that lovely, heart-shaped face to the sensual curves wrapped within a black, leather jumpsuit and her gaze became heated.

No matter what she was doing or what her mood was, that wonderful body made her want to put her hands all over it.

As though she felt the weight of that longing gaze, the sorceress looked up, rich ochre orbs gleaming brilliantly as they alighted on her love and a short flight later she stood before the blonde in all her leather-clad glory.

Aurora wet her lips, her throat suddenly dry. "Where are you going?"

"I have an errand to run." A cool palm cupped her cheek. "Guard our home in my absence."

"With my life," the former queen promised, meaning every word. The moor was her world now and the mystical creatures that inhabited it depended on them both.

"Let us hope it doesn't come to that," Maleficent said softly, sliding clawed fingertips along the curve of Aurora's cheek in a lingering caress. "Diaval."

"Mistress?"

"Stay with—"

"I'll be fine," the young woman interrupted the all-too familiar command. She knew from the stiffness of the Faerie's shoulder and the fierceness burning within wild eyes that something was amiss, though she wasn't going to interrogate the older woman… Yet. "Just promise me you'll be safe."

The leader of the Faerie-folk nodded, reaching out a hand to help her lover to her feet. The brunette sealed their lips together, pouring into the connection the love that filled the muscle beating powerfully beneath her breast. When she leaned back, placing a mere centimeter—too far for Aurora's liking—between them, she murmured against the blonde's lips, "I expect a proper welcome when I return."

She couldn't help the anticipatory shudder that ran the length of her spine at that silken tone.

_You… Did not respond to my previous letter. I apologize if I overstepped my bounds. I hope all is well._

—_Edward_

And now, as she ran full tilt through tall grass, dislodging snow in a miniature flurry as she skidded across the melting frost, Aurora was dearly regretting those words.

"Aurora, please!"

The blonde abruptly changed directions and ducked under the low-hanging branches of a nearby tree; flattening herself against its trunk, she held her breath, nostrils flaring and chest as she attempted to control the ragged flow of air.

"Don't be afraid!"

Those words were achingly familiar—disturbingly so considering whose mouth they were leaving. It wasn't rational for her, a grown adult, to be fleeing and hiding away like this, but… Fear was irrational, after all.

Fear that he would try and take her back with him.

Fear that she might actually consider saying 'yes,' weighed down with the guilt of a responsibility shirked as she was.

"Go away, Philip," she shouted, her voice breaking as his name left her lips. Maleficent had taught her how to melt into the trees—to disappear like a shadow; without a trace—and it seemed she was quite good at it if his confused expression was anything to go by. "You shouldn't be here."

How had he even gotten through the wall of thorns that ran a protective perimeter around the moor?

"King Edward told me I'd find you here. I hadn't heard from you in a long while and so I came to see for myself if the rumors were true. I wanted to see you."

Surely there were other eligible monarchs in the area? Besides— "I'm no longer the queen. Why are you still pursuing me?"

"Aurora…" He paused, his tone suggesting that she had said something extraordinary. "Why would you… It-it wouldn't matter to me if you were a _scullery maid_. I like you for who you are."

Empty words; easily said, not so easily meant.

Nonetheless, the sentiment actually made her consider leaving her hiding place and facing him. Almost. Instead, she crept around to the other side of the wide trunk, taking care to keep pressed up against the rough surface. From this vantage point, she could see the leader of the neighboring kingdom's face.

"And what is it you like about me, pray tell?"

The man frowned slightly. "Where are you? Please come out."

"Answer the question."

All around them, the moor was silent and still. The buzz of its residents was curiously absent and even the magic that infused the air seemed to have retreated. It was almost as though they were the only two people left in the world.

"You're good and sweet and kind," Philip said quietly, interrupting her niggling concern. "You're the sort of girl who would do all that she could to help someone even if you had just met them."

Full lips parted, a memory surfacing—

_/ A cute teenaged boy struggled for a moment to calm his mount, a white horse that was much too large for him. He would have walked right past her if she hadn't almost run into him in her panicked flight._

_Where had she been running to? She couldn't remember._

"_I'm Philip." That shy smile had made her hesitate instead of dashing off again. "I'm looking for the king, but it seems I've gotten lost."_

"_Hello, Philip. My name's Aurora." The blonde pointed. "The castle's that way." /_

The memory was fuzzy and incomplete, but she definitely remembered their first meeting.

"You're pure. Capable of no evil and untouched by the baser desires man is plagued with."

A smile curved her lips as an amused laugh threatened to bubble over and fill the silence that greeted that statement.

"You're wrong."

His head whipped around as something rustled in the bushes to her left and she recognized the reverberating groan of timber as the approach of the wooden Faerie-folk that acted as the moor's main combat force.

"What do you mean?"

Straightening her spine proudly and lifting her chin—the regal carriage of a queen—the young woman emerged from her hiding place and faced her pursuer, drawing some satisfaction at the awed look he gave her. "You don't know me. Perhaps you did once, but…" She tucked a strand of gold behind her ear, a fleeting image of a young woman sitting upon a throne in the vast, loneliness of a castle filled to the brim with riches, but devoid of anything of real value flashing through her mind's eye. "That girl no longer exists."

The rustling got louder and two towering treants came lumbering out of the woods, wooden lances clutched in their hands as they scowled fearsomely down at this unwanted visitor.

Philip paled as he became the target of the razor sharp tips of their weapons, holding his hands up as a sign that he meant no harm. When they didn't stand down he swallowed, hard.

"Now please be on your way."

"Aurora—"

"Do not return, Philip."

_Your kind isn't welcome here_, she almost added. But that didn't make an ounce of sense because they were both human… Right?

When had she started thinking like that?

* * *

Maleficent landed heavily, going immediately to Aurora's side and touching the blonde's face, hesitantly, as though she expected the woman to disappear. "The wall was down… Are you okay?"

Affection made her heart flutter and she took the Faerie's hand in hers, pressing a kiss to the palm. "All is well, my love. How did your errand go?"

Her nose wrinkled distastefully and she leaned in, scenting like a hound. "I smell human on you."

"I _am _human," she said slowly, not sure how to take the comment.

"Well, yes." The sorceress chuckled, relaxing visibly. "You smell of the moor, however. Of magic and the wind in the trees and the freshly fallen snow—like myself."

For some reason, hearing that was immensely pleasing.


	7. Letter Seven

**-Letter Seven-**

_Lovely Aurora,_

_I haven't heard from you in a long while... I hope no harm has befallen you. Please respond soon. I'm worried about you._

"You've been staring at that letter all morning." A hand touched her shoulder, its warmth comforting. "What's on your mind?"

"It's nothing," she responded distractedly, leaning against the tall woman. "How was your flight?"

"Lonely. I had hoped you'd accompany me."

"Sorry…"

She sounded so genuinely guilty that Maleficent frowned, hooking a finger under the younger woman's chin and peering into cerulean orbs. "This cannot continue."

The blonde's brow furrowed and, normally, the puzzled expression would have been cute. Well, it still was—incredibly so—but the Faerie had no time to fawn over her lover because she had a point to make.

"This…" She gestured. "You living, torn between two worlds." When Aurora opened her mouth to protest, the sorceress shook her head. "Despite your words, the responsibilities you left behind still seem to be plaguing you."

"I was raised to sit on that throne… My entire life, I was taught that ruling the people was what I was _supposed _to do." Blue orbs were unusually shiny. "I can't just unlearn that."

Humans… What was it with them and order? They deemed it necessary to categorize and sort, boxing each other away into little castes and classes—labels used to deem worth—that were damn near impossible to free themselves from. Unlike other animals, humans _needed _to make sense of their world and, rather than go with the flow of fate, they struggled to stand in the face of the inevitable. As long as they felt in control of their world—whether that meant bowing to the "rule" of some higher power or crushing their own kind beneath their boot—humans felt safe.

They were so incredibly foolish—a race of mere fledglings that were hurtling towards their own destruction on wings too weak to carry them.

But this human was Aurora. Her heart and soul.

"What is it that you _want_, Beastie? Think beyond duty to what you desire in your heart of hearts." She swallowed the sudden lump in her throat. "No matter what you choose, so long as it is your wish, I will be happy as long as you are."

This would be the last time she asked the young woman this question. One final chance for a change of heart. Maleficent's stomach churned anxiously, but she didn't allow the emotion to show in exquisite features.

This was Aurora's decision and Aurora alone could make it.

"You. I want to be with you." There wasn't the slightest moment of hesitation.

She let go of the breath she didn't realize she had been holding. "And I am here. I will always be with you."

"I know." Aurora rested her forehead against her partner's. "You always have been."

A smile spread lazily across the sorceress's face. "Indeed I have been."

They were quiet for a moment, just drinking in each other's presence. Then, Aurora released a shuddering sigh. "… It's difficult."

"That man, Edward, says that all is well. Your people are in good hands. Why do you continue to fret so?"

And then she saw it: the almost overwhelming guilt in wide blue eyes. The Faerie's heart thudded incessantly against the inside of her ribcage, demanding that she ease the burden on slender shoulders, and she reached out, wrapping her lover in a comforting embrace.

The brunette selected her words carefully before saying softly, "Humans adapt to their environment and the situations they are presented with. Your people have managed under lesser rulers." Her shoulders ached at the thought of the monarch preceding Aurora. "And even if this Edward isn't the best of leaders, someone will step forward to take his place in time."

"I trust Edward. He was the only one who stood by me when my war counsellor declared war on the moor."

Her appreciation for the man warred with a niggling sense of jealousy, but the sorceress cast the confused stirrings aside in favor of hugging the younger woman tighter. Their hearts beat as one, the steady rhythm both comforting and frightening. She couldn't live without Aurora for the girl would take with her that life-sustaining pulse.

"I can help you… But you must be certain that this is what you want."

"How?"

"You'll cut off all ties with the human kingdom at once. You won't even think beyond the home we have made together in the moor." She kissed the human girl gently, snapping her eyes shut to contain the emotion that burned within them. She wanted—nay, needed—to remove this weight from Aurora's shoulders. "Promise me."

"If that's what it takes…"

Intense golden orbs glistened. "Beastie…"

"I love you," Aurora breathed.

_Ba-bump._

"And I, you."

Their lips met again and Maleficent's hands glowed amber-gold on either side of that pretty face, her magic taking root in her queen's mind, erasing from it the lingering concerns of a monarch who had surrendered her throne.


	8. A Final Message

**-A Final Message—**

King Edward shouted to be heard over the panicked din of his people, trying in vain to calm them as he emerged from the castle to see what was causing such a stir. He paled when he saw a _dragon_, but the massive black-scaled form hovering above the courtyard wasn't breathing fire or roaring a challenge as it made off with their livestock.

Instead, it began to lose altitude, wings spreading to their full span as it landed on clawed feet and crouched to allow its rider to dismount.

There was only one person—one _Faerie_—who could arrive in such a world-rocking manner and, sure enough, the stunning goddess he had seen only once on the dance floor with the former monarch of their lovely little kingdom stepped down from the dragon's back, her flawless figure wrapped all in leather. She could have very well flown here on the lovely chocolate-coloured wings folded neatly against her back, but that wasn't the point.

The dragon was a physical representation of the power she had in deceptively delicate hands.

She spared an impassive glance at the townsfolk then, at the shivering guards who dared to point their weapons in her direction, and then that endless golden gaze focused on the king.

"Well?"

That rich, cultured voice made several of the onlookers flinch, their jaws dropping in awe, and Edward cleared his throat anxiously. "At ease."

His guest placed a hand on her hip, the very image of unconcerned smugness. "You heard the man."

Though they grumbled mutinously, the men lowered their weapons, though their gazes remained just as sharp and willing to harm as they bore into the brunette.

Edward "Please, come in—"

"I haven't come to make nice," she interrupted, full red-painted lips curving slightly upwards as she heard murmurs of outrage from the king's men. "I've just come to deliver my dear Aurora's final message to you."

"_Final_ message?" he demanded, his blood going cold.

"To you," the sorceress repeated, her tone suggesting that she found his inability to comprehend rather tedious. "She no longer wishes to communicate with you."

"Why that's—!"

She waved a clawed hand and he choked mid-sentence, his throat closing up, making it impossible to continue. His men stepped forward, but he gestured them back, glaring at the brunette who had the guile to make such a scene. Here, for all to see.

"That's better." Maleficent made a show of yawning, hiding the gesture behind a deceptively delicate hand. "Now I'm sure you understand that your kingdom and the moor remain upon peaceable terms only because neither side has cast the first stone. That will change if you continue your pursuit of my dear Beastie." Her expression gentled. "I know that you still hold on to the hope that she'll return to her place on the throne, but that chapter in her life has drawn to a close. Her place now is by my side."

_Her _side—?! Who did this Faerie think she was to-to claim _proprietorship_ of the young woman? Just who was she?

"Maleficent." He blinked, caught off guard. Had she read his thoughts? "You'd do well to remember the name, Edward. If you require something of the Faerie-folk, you will address _me_. Is that clear?"

He nodded, his throat constricting uselessly as he attempted to vocalize his understanding. It felt as though he was surrendering to an enemy, despite the peacemaking intent behind the sorceress's visit. The kingdom technically wasn't losing anything and yet… It felt as though the castle's coffers were lighter.

The female waved her hand again, wordlessly reverting her mount back to his original form, and the crow cawed ominously, fluttering up to land on his mistress's shoulder.

"I'll be in touch.

With a powerful flap of her wings, she had become airborne. Soon, she was a mere dark splotch in the endless blue sky and Edward coughed, his ability to speak returning to him now that the sorceress was no longer in range to keep him spellbound.

"Sir! What shall we do?"

The people looked on, expecting him to express his fury; to demand retribution for her impudent actions; to _react_. Instead, the man's broad shoulders slumped and he rubbed his temples, dark eyes closing wearily.

He respected Aurora too much for the outraged outburst that was expected in order to maintain his image. She had made a difficult decision and he would honor her wishes.

"No one shall venture out to the moor," he decreed, raising his chin to address his. "We will continue to maintain peaceful relations with the Faerie-folk who live there… And with our queen."

Without another word, the king headed into the castle and somewhere to the west, wicked laughter echoed across the plains—clear as a bell.

**-Fin-**

And here we are, at the end of this tale. Thanks so much to everyone who's been with me since _From the Shadows _and to everyone who was kind enough to leave their feedback :3 I'm off to other fandoms.

Until next time!


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